When considering what qualifies an actor to be at the top of their game there are several things that could be considered. For the purposes of this article we’ll confine the list to male actors as it will already be a challenge given the incredible talent worthy of consideration.Obviously the whole area of the arts is subjective but it’s fair to say that certain things are quite commonly agreed upon when it comes to acting. If we’re considering top actors of today lets confine the list to those who are actually living and actively working at this present time. Typically the average persons exposure to an actor’s work will be through film and television so its most likely that top actors are at some point engaging in these mediums and although that’s not exclusively the case this consideration will assume that. As a measure of their success in these industries one need look no further then the Oscars or Emmys to see how they are fairing. So who has been knocking it out of the park as far as the acting world is concerned?

Gary Oldman

Gary Oldman

Without a doubt Gary Oldman has to be up amongst the best and has risen to stardom with his recent Oscar worthy performance of Winston Churchill in The Darkest Hour. No stranger to theater, television or film Oldman has been associated with some of the famous film franchises such as Harry Potter and The Dark Knight.

Colin Firth

In keeping with the historical theme Colin Firth has left his mark with such moving performances as The King’s Speech. Equally at home on stage or the small screen he has been a versatile fan favorite for many years.

Daniel Day Lewis

Daniel Day Lewis

Daniel Day Lewis announced his retirement following his latest offering as the renowned dressmaker Reynolds Woodcock in the movie Phantom Thread but this list would not be complete without the actor once declared the greatest actor of all time. He is certainly no stranger to accolades and rightly so. His theater training with various companies and finally the Royal Shakespeare developed in him a skill set and work ethic second to none. Renowned for his complete commitment to his craft he would often wait several years between projects.

Benedict Cumberbatch

Benedict Cumberbatch

Perhaps one of the most likable and versatile British actors of recent times is Benedict Cumberbatch. Riding on the back of the extraordinary success of the amazing Sherlock Holmes serious from the BBC he has gone on to find success in such movies as The Imitation Game and The Fifth Estate. Leading the charge of the next generation of British stars is perhaps Eddie Redmayne who has risen through the ranks of theater to find success in the film world most notably for his portrayal of the recent deceased English physicist Stephan Hawking in the movie The Theory of Everything.

Idris Elba

Idris Elba

Known for his work in television as DCI Luther the talented Idris Elba is a British actor who has been equally successful on the small screen and the large. He has continued to expand his craft and is now looking to venture into the realm of directing. All these actors have displayed their worthiness for inclusion as British actors at the top of their game.There are many others that could also find a spot so suffice to say we can look forward to seeing much of this British talent in the near future!